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Optimized Acupuncture Treatment for Female Stress Urinary Incontinence

Optimized Acupuncture Treatment for Female Stress Urinary Incontinence: a Study Protocol for a Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial

Status
Recruiting
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT05635669
Enrollment
360
Registered
2022-12-02
Start date
2023-01-04
Completion date
2026-12-31
Last updated
2025-05-22

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Stress Urinary Incontinence

Brief summary

This multicenter randomized controlled trial is designed to explore a relatively suitable application of acupoint combinations and to provide certain clinical evidence for the optimization of acupuncture treatment of female SUI.

Detailed description

Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) mainly refers to the involuntary leakage of urine when abdominal pressure increases, such as sneezing, coughing, laughing or exercise. According to epidemiological studies, the global median prevalence of female urinary incontinence is 27.6% (4.8%-58.4%), of which SUI accounts for more than 50%. Previous study have demonstrated that acupuncture intervention can reduce the urine leakage in pad test, decrease the ICIQ-SF score, so as to help the patients alleviate the symptoms and improve their quality of life. This multicenter randomized controlled trial set 3 groups. Patients will receive 3 different applications of acupoint combinations so that the optimization of acupuncture treatment of female SUI will be find.

Interventions

DEVICESacral acupoints acupuncture

Before treatment, the participants will be asked to go to the toilet. All treatments will be performed after skin disinfection. As acupuncture needles are inserted, all points will be lifted, twisted, and stabbed to activate the sensation of de qi. The electroacupuncture stimulation lasted for 30 minutes with a continuous wave of 50 Hz and a current intensity of 1 to 5 mA (preferably with the skin around the acupoints shivering mildly without pain). Participants will receive three treatments per week (every other day), each lasting 30 minutes, for a total of 18 sessions over the course of 6 weeks. The follow-up sessions are on week 18, 30, 42 and 54. In this group, paired electrodes from the electroacupuncture apparatus were attached transversely to the needle handles at bilateral Huiyang(BL35) and Zhongliao(BL33) .

DEVICEAbdominal acupoints acupuncture

Before treatment, the participants will be asked to go to the toilet. All treatments will be performed after skin disinfection. As acupuncture needles are inserted, all points will be lifted, twisted, and stabbed to activate the sensation of de qi. The electroacupuncture stimulation lasted for 30 minutes with a continuous wave of 50 Hz and a current intensity of 1 to 5 mA (preferably with the skin around the acupoints shivering mildly without pain). Participants will receive three treatments per week (every other day), each lasting 30 minutes, for a total of 18 sessions over the course of 6 weeks. The follow-up sessions are on week 18, 30, 42 and 54. In this group, paired electrodes from the electroacupuncture apparatus were attached to the needle handles respectively at Zhongji(RN3) and one side of Dahe(KI12), as well as Guanyuan(RN4) and another side of Dahe(KI12).

DEVICEAlternating acupoints acupuncture

Before treatment, the participants will be asked to go to the toilet. All treatments will be performed after skin disinfection. As acupuncture needles are inserted, all points will be lifted, twisted, and stabbed to activate the sensation of de qi. The electroacupuncture stimulation lasted for 30 minutes with a continuous wave of 50 Hz and a current intensity of 1 to 5 mA (preferably with the skin around the acupoints shivering mildly without pain). Participants will receive three treatments per week (every other day), each lasting 30 minutes, for a total of 18 sessions over the course of 6 weeks. The follow-up sessions are on week 18, 30, 42 and 54. The application of electroacupuncture is the same as Sacral group and Abdominal group.

Sponsors

Longhua Hospital
CollaboratorOTHER
Yin Ping
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE (Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
FEMALE
Age
40 Years to 75 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Patients with mild to moderate SUI mentioned in the diagnostic criteria above; * Aged 40~75 years; * Sign the informed consent.

Exclusion criteria

* Other types of urinary incontinence (urgent, overflow or mixed). * History of urinary incontinence surgery or pelvic floor surgery; * Pelvic organ prolapse ≥ stage II; * Symptomatic urinary tract infection; * Residual urine volume \> 30 mL; * Maximum urinary flow rate \< 20ml/s. * Limitation of movement (walk and/or run and/or climb stairs); * Patients who have been using drugs that may affect bladder function or receiving SUI specialized treatment; * Severe cardiovascular, cerebral, liver, kidney and hematopoietic system disease, mental disorders, diabetes, multiple system atrophy, cauda equina neuropathy and spinal cord disease; * Pregnancy or lactation period. * With cardiac pacemaker, acupuncture phobia or metal allergies;

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
The change of urine leakage measured by the 1-hour pad testWeek 6Quantity of fluid loss will be measured by 1-hour pad test, compared with the baseline (week 0).

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
The change of International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Short Form (ICIQ-SF)Week 4, 6, 18, 30, 42 and 54ICIQ-SF is a brief instrument used to assess the frequency of incontinence, the volume of incontinence, as well as the impact of life quality). The value will be recorded at week 4, 6, 18, 30, 42 and 54, compared to that at baseline(week 0).
Severity of SUI according to '72 hours bladder diary'Week 4, 6, 18, 30, 42 and 54The severity of SUI will be rated according to the amount of UI in usual conditions without extreme activities like severe cough, strenuous exercise or carrying heavy loads in the past 72 hours. Definition: mild(several drops of leakage);moderate(leak that soaked through underwear); severe(leak that soaked through outerwear). In case that participants worn urinal pads, the severity of SUI will be graded as follows. Mild(several drops of leakage); moderate(soaked urine pads in patches by several leakages); severe(soaked urine pads in patches by one leakage). The most severe degree of urine leakage in patient's 72 hours bladder diaries over the assessment period will be selected as the severity of SUI for analyses.
Participant Self-evaluation of Therapeutic EffectsWeek 4, 6, 18, 30, 42 and 54No help=0; Small help=1; Medium help=2; Great help=3
The number of patients who used other treatment for SUIWeek 18, 30, 42 and 54Compare the number of patients who used other specialty therapy for SUI during the study between 3 groups.
Bladder neck mobility by pelvic floor ultrasonographyWeek 6Bladder neck mobility will be observed both at rest and during a Valsalva maneuver by pelvic floor ultrasonography. The result can be measured from the ultrasonic image.
Urethral rotation angle by pelvic floor ultrasonographyWeek 6Urethral rotation angle will be observed both at rest and during a Valsalva maneuver by pelvic floor ultrasonography. The result can be measured from the ultrasonic image.
Retrovesical angle by pelvic floor ultrasonographyWeek 6Retrovesical angle will be observed both at rest and during a Valsalva maneuver by pelvic floor ultrasonography. The result can be measured from the ultrasonic image.
Lowest point of bladder by pelvic floor ultrasonographyWeek 6Lowest point of bladder at rest and during a Valsalva maneuver by pelvic floor ultrasonography. The result can be observed from the ultrasonic image.
The change of mean episodes of urinary incontinence in 72 hoursWeek 4, 6, 18, 30, 42 and 54The mean episodes of urinary incontinence in 72 hours based on '72 hours bladder diary', comparing the value at week 4, 6, 18, 30, 42 and 54 with the baseline(week 0).
The type of bladder bulging by pelvic floor ultrasonographyWeek 6The type of bladder bulging at rest and during a Valsalva maneuver by pelvic floor ultrasonography. The result can be observed from the ultrasonic image.
Subgroup analysis: correlation between 1-hour pad test and severity of SUIWeek 6Analyze the correlation between 1-hour pad test and severity of SUI.
Subgroup analysis: correlation between episodes of urinary incontinence in 72 hours and severity of SUIWeek18, 30, 42 and 54Analyze the correlation between episodes of urinary incontinence in 72 hours and severity of SUI.
Number of urine pads used weeklyWeek 4, 6, 18, 30, 42 and 54The weekly consumption of urine pads was assessed in participants.
Incidence of adverse eventsWeek 1-6Observe the incidence of adverse events during the treatment.
Evaluation of discomfort during treatmentWithin 5 minutes after the first and ninth acupuncture treatmentVisual analog scale (VAS) will be used to evaluate the degree of discomfort during treatment. The scale ranging from 0 to 10cm, with 0cm indicating no discomfort and 10cm indicating severe discomfort. Evaluation time: The average value of the first and ninth acupuncture treatments was taken within 5 minutes after the end of the two treatments. If the VAS value is missing in one of the cases, another is taken as the result.
Patient acceptability evaluationWithin 5 minutes after the first and ninth acupuncture treatment0=very difficult to accept, 1=slightly difficult to accept, 2=acceptable, 3=easy to accept, 4=very easy to accept. Evaluation time: The average value of the first and ninth acupuncture treatments was taken within 5 minutes after the end of the two treatments. If the VAS value is missing in one of the cases, another is taken as the result.
Urethral funnel formation by pelvic floor ultrasonographyWeek 6Urethral funnel formation at rest and during a Valsalva maneuver by pelvic floor ultrasonography. The result can be observed from the ultrasonic image.

Countries

China

Contacts

Primary ContactPING YIN
bingxue616@163.com086-18917561621
Backup ContactYUELAI CHEN
chenyuelai@163.com0086-13020193726

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 8, 2026